The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-03-10

however was not in command, being still an
invalid from that terrible wound he received at
Cedar Creek Oct. 10 the year previous. Gen.
Truman III. Seymour was in command. We
were TO form on Gen. Wheatons left. Our
Second Brigade. Gen. ]. Warren Keller, formed
on his left, and our First Brigade, Gen. w. S.
Truax in command, was the extreme right.
Away we went in two lines up over an I'M
broken, bushy field, and cleaned the grass as
We went. We soon gained the hight and
drove that line of the enemy out. As We
reached the hight another field presented
ITSELF sloping TO the west Down this slope
the rebels were retreating On we charged,
and rs they swung 20 the left we kindly con-
formed TO their movements and soon captured
large portion of their first line. The balance
swung 10 our left flank westward and retired
across Sailors Creek into thicket of low pine
and oak. The field was open 10 this creek,
which ran along in our front nearly north.
The First Division struck the enemy's solid line.
The ground was low, gradually rising in front
of the Second Brigade and in our front was
a pond and slough 75 TO 125 yards in width,
| flooded with water from dam some 400 or 500
yards farther 10 our right There the enemy
were also posted and confronted by the cavalry.
We were too far down this slope and too
near this slough TO retire. Gen. Andrew J.
Smith, then our Division Adjutant-Genera
came with orders for our First Brigade 10
CHARGE ACROSS THAT POND
| and take the hill beyond which, commencing
at the westerly margin of the pond, rose TO a
! distance Of 40 10 60 yards from the slough.
Whcaton's and Keifer's commands were soon
upon the enemy, only a part of Keifer's Bril-
gade having to be retired 10 avoid the slough
in its front. Unsling cartridge-boxes and
prepare TO charge" was the order. At this
moment Gen. Smith received a bullet in his
| leg and fell from his horse. / have never had
the pleasure of meeting that gallant comrade
since.
On we went. No mounted officer could ride
through that mire. / left my horse stuck in
the mud, and clasping hands with comrades,
charged through the pond. Many of the Bri-
| gade fell TO rise no more In this charge the
10th VT was on our left, the lO6th n. Y. on
its right, and the I4th n. J. on the extreme
right TO protect that flank. We soon reached
the top of the hill with hurrah.
At this point and in our front was field
three or four hundred yards wide, with little
clump of woods beyond. The enemy's line re-
tired into the woods in front of the Second Bril-
gade. We soon pushed forward our fankeTs
the enemy breaking. and those 10 our right re-
firing upon the road in that direction. Our
line swung 10 the left, aud with bayOnets fixed
charged at a double-quick. The left of our line
soon reached the enemy and drove them down
a slope As our right swung still round we
saw we were completely in rear Of the enemy,
skirmshers who had reached the little clump
of woods, with Others, appeared, running toward
me with Confederate officer and white Rag
i ran 10 meet him. lie offered the surrender Of
GEN. EwELL
and his command, and asked that we would
stop firing. wheeled, halted the line sent
down the word, which was answered with such
hurrahs that ours and the enemy's whole line
seemed TO cease all at once from firing.
4 al 90 n I.
Mai. Pegram, lnspector-General upon Ewell's
staff, and that he surrendered Gen. Ewell,
Gusts Lee, CommOdores Tucker aud Simms
! and Others, and desired our commanding officer
20 take charge of them. At this moment Mai.
, Leonard, Adjutant-General of our brigade,
came with his horse and mine He took charge
ofMaj. Pegram, and rode along the line 10 stop
some firing, which appeared TO be more for
glory than fight. AT this point some cavalry
came up on our flank in rear of the 18th N ]
and riding 10 these woods, seized Gen Ewell and
; some others, who were then in charge of our
infantry, and took them along, presume, as
trophies Of war.
But who captured themP That evening we
camped near the battlefield, and upon the
: claim being made that the cavalry captured
these officers Gen. Ewell emphatically denied
: having surrendered TO the cavalry, and said he
surrendered himself and command TO the in.
fantry Of the Sixth Corps.
III remember right history bears me ont on
every point. Lieut.. Alum does not seem "a
make a solid claim for his Sergeant Naio,
having captured this General, but only a pre-
sumptive one. loved Custer as a soldier, and
all his men. went with him, guided hin
down through that fosse
;, At CEDAR CREEK
IS 20 the right of the pike at the time Early
y had battery commanding that pike on th,
evening of Oct. 10, 1864 i saw the charg
=, made upon Early's retreating column in rea
of that battery, and saw the enemy flee 10 tia
W swamp and woods on the left Of the pike. Gus
ters noble charge there was one Of his grand
est deeds, and won for us all more than We ha,
lost-won the key Of the Confederate left an,
{, insured the destruction of Earlys army. /
was the grand turning-point of that day, mad
glorious first by that determined, solid old Sixt
10 Corps, and finally completed by this dashinl
daring, determined Custer. But Lieut. AlluI